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The Apprentice's Quest/Chapter 7
Chapter description :Alderpaw is alone with Briarlight in the medicine den, and Leafpool tells him not to wake the sleeping she-cat. Jayfeather stands up, telling the apprentice that he and his mother are going into the forest to collect herbs. They leave Alderpaw to sort the store, and he begins to think about his dream at the Moonpool. However, he concludes that it's not serious enough to tell his mentors about, and begins his task. Alderpaw hopes that someday he can be a good medicine cat, or at least good enough. He works at separating old herbs from the new, but pawsteps approach the den, and Cherryfall limps inside. :She asks him if he can look at her paw, because it still hurts. Alderpaw instructs her to lie down and agrees to check on it, though it's still early days in it's healing process. He sees that it's not infected, and tells her it's just deep and will take time to completely heal. Cherryfall asks him for something to help with the pain, so he goes to look. Alderpaw tries to remember which herb to give her, and finds comfrey root. He mashes it into a poultice and puts it on her wound, and she thanks him, her face contorting in relief. Cherryfall stands up, saying that she's glad he's doing well as a medicine cat, and his mentors should be proud. He feels proud, and realizes that Jayfeather has returned. :His mentor is angry with him for giving out a remedy without asking, saying that pain can be a sign of whether healing is progressing. Alderpaw rambles that he was very sure he was doing the right thing, and that since there was no infection, he thought it was okay. The medicine cat apprentice promises not to do it again, and Jayfeather softens his stance. Jayfeather concludes that since Alderpaw is still in training, he should stick to doing only what he's told. The mentor tells his apprentice to go treat the elders' ticks, and he obliges. :Alderpaw goes to the elders' den, and only Sandstorm is there. She greets him, stating that her denmates are elsewhere, but that she has a tick just where she can't reach. He uses the mouse bile to loosen the tick, and feels frustrated that he's doing this as if he'd never become a medicine cat apprentice. Sandstorm thanks him, but asks if there's something wrong, and offers to listen. While he continues to look for more ticks, she insists that he can tell her anything, and puts him at ease. Alderpaw admits that he gave Cherryfall a poultice while Jayfeather was away, and his mentor was furious. Sandstorm jokes that that must've been dreadful, but comforts that he'll know better next time, and that being an apprentice is all about learning. :Alderpaw stammers that he doesn't want to disappoint everyone, and Sandstorm asks if Jayfeather seemed upset. He says no, and the elder continues that his mentor just wants him to learn. Alderpaw is put at ease with her words, thinking that it's good to have older, wiser cats to get advice from. Sandstorm asks if there's anything else bothering him, and he explains the dream he had at the Moonpool. Her eyes gleam with interest as he describes the Clan in his dream, who'd been conducting a warrior ceremony. Sandstorm exclaims that she knows those cats, saying that they're a lot like SkyClan. She tells him it was a vision, and he gapes, asking why StarClan would send a message to him. Sandstorm counters why not, as he's a medicine cat apprentice. She suggests telling his mentors, but Alderpaw mutters that Jayfeather will claw his ears off. Sandstorm calls that nonsense, and he slowly walks back to the medicine den. :The apprentice says he needs to talk to his mentors, and they follow him outside. Alderpaw quickly explains his vision, saying that Sandstorm said to share it with them. To his amazement, both older cats look very pleased. Jayfeather mentions that this isn't his first vision, due to him being there when the other medicine cats received a prophecy. They say they're going to go discuss it with Bramblestar, but don't allow Alderpaw to come, which leaves him disheartened. He sits down, thinking that whatever his vision means, older cats will take care of it. Characters Major }} Minor *Leafpool *Jayfeather *Cherryfall *Sandstorm }} Mentioned *Millie *Purdy *Bramblestar *Leafstar *Sharpclaw *Echosong }} Notes and references Category:The Apprentice's Quest Category:Chapter subpages Category:A Vision of Shadows arc